Christmas is just around the corner and with everyone trying to save money this Christmas; we thought we would help prepare our readers for the upcoming festivities with some must have Christmas gift ideas for bargain prices.

These are the top 10 gift ideas that we thought you would love to see in your stocking this year.

If you have any more more creative and money saving gift ideas which you think are a must have this year, then let us know at textiles@thehothive.com and we will publish it in our next edition, just in time for christmas!

Number 1

Super-Cute Crochet: Make Your Own Amigurumi Family

By Nicki Trench

Published by Cico Books

ISBN: 978-1906525392

This is a truly lovely book. As the title tells you, the crochet projects within are all ‘Super Cute’! The little creations are known as Amigurumi, which is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and creatures that has grown in popularity all over the world in recent years. As part of the book, each creature is given a loving back story, such as Alan the Lion, who is part of a Ska Band and perfectly pictured in their environments, adding even more to the cuteness. Our personal favourites are the Kitten Mrs Mittens, and Camilla the Horse!

At the back of the book are the technique pages, showing how to do the crochet stitches necessary for these projects. Although very clearly explained, just like the instructions in the rest of the book, if you are an absolute beginner you may need some help to get the hang of it. If you have done it before, we suggest you have a quick practise before moving onto the cute creatures you don’t want them turning out not-so-cute!. This book will be loved by crocheters and would-bes of all ages.

Super-Cute Crochet: Make Your Own Amigurumi Family is currently on sale in the HotHive Bookstore for £12.99, plus post and package. To order your copy, please go to this page www.thetextiledirectorybookstore.com/acatalog/info_1136.html.

If you would like to recommend and review a book, then please send us an email, to textiles@thehothive.com.

A basic listing in the directory is absolutely free and there are some fantastic low-cost packages available for those of you who would like to promote your business even more.

In answer to our recent newsletter in the help required section, we have had an overwelming number of helpful responses. So we thought would share them with you all at the textile directory.

Bayeux Tapestry Fabric Help

You could try emailing Shelagh who runs the shop below:

Email:battlewools@tiscali.co.uk
Battle Wool and Needlecraft Shop, 2, Mount Street, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0EG

We have had a good year at The Textile Directory and have been making a number of subtle changes to the site to help improve visitor experience and ensure you get the most out of your listing.

We will shortly be sending out our renewal letters to ensure that we have the most up to date information for you and give you the chance to amend or update any details that you wish to as we know how things can change over the course of a year.
 

We will also be offering you the chance to upgrade your listing as we have three categories on offer; Bronze, Silver and Gold.  Over the coming months we will be doing a lot of advertising, mail shots and online marketing to improve the presence of the site and increase the number of visitors to the site.  If you want to take advantage of an increased presence and prominent listing on the site then consider upgrading.  For a very small fee you can have a featured article and could be on the front page for all to see.

You can see the top reasons to get the most out of the Textile Directory in our newsletter so do read through and ensure you are doing the most to maxmise your listing on the website.

Felted Friends
By Sue Pearl
Published by Search Press
ISBN -10 1-84448-304-5
ISBN - 13 978-1-84448-304-4
Price £9.99
Reviewed by Annette Claxton

I have always thought feltmaking was a very joyous occupation, being accessible to both adults and children and just a little bit messy. Sue Pearl’s book with its collection of delightful ideas reinforces this as she takes us through a very thorough, but easy to read, introduction, from the origins of felt to her own involvement in the craft. Starting with the basics, we are guided as to the various types of wool and how each reacts differently to being felted, as well as the actual process of how wool shrinks. The materials and equipment used are easy to procure and are well described and illustrated with a helpful list of suppliers. There are good accounts of the types of felting - needled, hot felting, wet or dry, and their appropriate uses.

Next we move on to the exciting bit, learning the techniques that form the basis of her wonderfully eccentric creature ‘friends’. The 25 projects cleverly range from simple flat felted wallhangings, developing to more and more fantastic animals. The easy to make spiders would be a good starting point for the young. We are shown step-by-step how to form the armature skeletons, wrap them with pre-formed felt, gradually building to the finished piece, including their clothing! The colours available in the dyed tops used are quite mouth watering and help to stimulate the creation of these critters, but it is the final touch of the facial expressions that give them their individual characters. I particularly like the groovy cats.

The necessary information is well written to stimulate the reader’s interest, I think this would be an ideal book for those with a lively imagination, who might also like to involve children in a new craft and invent new outrageous beasties.

To buy this book please click on the link below